The Cask is described by co-owner Shon MacDughlas as an “Old World ale and wine house” which will offer local, independent-label wines and 150 imported beers. MacDughlas notes that the venue, which he co-owns with his wife Dedria Pope, a West Seattle-based Windermere real-estate agent, has applied for a “multi-faceted license” allowing them to offer beverages for retail sale as well as serving them.

The Cask will provide a “cozy” atmosphere with wood features (including the bar top, made from a fallen old-growth fir), lamplight, and music, including a lounge with space to accommodate solo musicians.

According to MacDughlas, the bar will feature six rotating taps of seasonal craft beers, and one “cask-conditioned” beer engine — a pump that pushes the ale out of the cask without the use of CO2 or nitrogen, while still creating a head on the ale. He says these are considered “real ales.”

For starters, The Cask will offer mostly beverages, with some snack foods, but the proprietor hopes to eventually be able to offer meat and cheese platters and more hearty “European fare.”

He’s a lifelong West Seattleite, and this isn’t his first endeavor – he started what is now C&P Coffee as “The Elder Green” with a business partner.

Asked about opening a new business in the current economy – in a neighborhood where five new establishments have opened in recent months (Porterhouse, Brickyard, renovated Angelina’s, Shipwreck Tavern, Heartland Café) – MacDughlas notes that restaurants and pubs still tend to be “packed.” He feels the Admiral District is an area that will welcome and support a business like his, and notes the added amenity of having dedicated parking behind the building, as well as the underground parking lot next to nearby Bartell Drugs.

The owners are aiming to open The Cask in May, adding the usual caveat that it depends on the construction process.

We’ve been working on this for about a week, ever since noticing the liquor-license filing, but until researching the links to add to Keri’s copy before publishing the story tonight, I didn’t realize an entire year had passed since the shoe store moved out. By the way, we’ll have a little update on Locol, the wine/beer place in the works on the “other side of town” (Sunrise Heights), shortly, after checking in with its owner a few days ago … TR

geez, what a bunch of negative nellys in this thread already. you could cut the sarcasm with a knife. get it thru your heads – more businesses opening up in WS is a GOOD thing. Not a bad thing. if they survive, then there is a market for it. if not, then there wasn’t. there seems to be a market for drinking establishments in WS. Go to Capitol Hill or University District sometime and you’ll see *gasp* multiple bars on the same block, sitting next to other businesses. Stuff like this turns WS neighborhoods into a destination – both for people on the peninsula and for people coming from other areas of Seattle. I for one love that now, if we go all the way to the Admiral District, there is more than one place to choose from. Yay for new businesses! :D

I think it sounds great. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for no big screen TVs. Takes away from the atmosphere. Prost almost has it, but the TVs definitely detract. We need a good wine bar in WS. Hopefully this is finally it.

Sounds like a good place to sit down, relax and get cozy with a nice glass of wine and a conversation. Beats having a glass of wine at a loud sports bar/pub, with big screens and obnoxious people, sitting on a stool screaming to hear at the person you’re with so they can hear you. I hope they have some comfy seating attire!

imagine this: a rainy windy night and your sitting inside with a friend (or alone) sipping a glass of wine or a fine beer while the glow of intimate table lamps shed warmth throughout….there is soft relaxing music somewhere in the background making you relaxed and comfortable….outside it’s still raining so you decide to stay a while longer ….. The marqee across the street iluminates brightly, and the raindrops keep falling… but it’s o.k. everything is just fine inside..

Although the positive comments on these new/re-opened small food and beverage businesses probably outweigh the negative ones, there’s still enough of the negative, that it get’s mighty tiresome. What do people want to move into our neighborhoods? TGIFriday’s? Olive Garden? Hooters?

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Small, local businesses are the ones that keep most, if not all, of the money in the community. Or, even if the owner lives in Bellevue, at least the money isn’t going out of State to a bunch of overpaid corporate execs, including a president, and ten vice presidents for every department, or function they can come up with.

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Plus, these businesses are moving into existing longtime buildings, many if not most of which have some character, rather than the building being torn down for yet another homogenized mixed use. Plus, many of them have retained the signage and other features of the previous, often decades old business that was there previously, only changing out the name of the business on the sign.

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Disclosure; I haven’t had the opportunity to try most of these new places that have opened up in the last few years, due to my current financial situation, or because when I might think to give on a try, it’s during their closed hours, but I wholeheartedly welcome them, as they try to keep the character of our neighborhoods, which has been lost in other ways, only adding their own touch, to sort of “freshen things up” a bit.

These two owners…Shon and Dee are two of the nicest, conscientious and considerate people you may ever know :) The customer care will be old town West Seattle flavor. I’m biased because I’ve known them along time…but you can always count on Shon and Dee, always!…they’re top shelf, and darn pretty as well…almost as pretty as me ;)…darn, now I’ve gone and given myself away, haven’t I.